El cruce del río Jordán

Muy de mañana, Josué y todos los israelitas partieron de Sitín y se dirigieron hacia el río Jordán; pero antes de cruzarlo acamparon a sus orillas. Al cabo de tres días, los oficiales del pueblo recorrieron todo el campamento con la siguiente orden: «Cuando vean el arca del pacto del Señor su Dios y a los sacerdotes levitas que la llevan, abandonen sus puestos y pónganse en marcha detrás de ella. Así sabrán por dónde ir, pues nunca antes han pasado por ese camino. Deberán, sin embargo, mantener dos mil codos[a] de distancia entre ustedes y el arca; no se acerquen a ella».

Josué ordenó al pueblo: «Conságrense, porque mañana el Señor va a realizar grandes prodigios entre ustedes».

Y a los sacerdotes les dijo: «Carguen el arca del pacto y pónganse al frente del pueblo». Los sacerdotes obedecieron y se pusieron al frente del pueblo.

Luego el Señor dijo a Josué: «Este día comenzaré a engrandecerte ante el pueblo de Israel. Así sabrán que estoy contigo como estuve con Moisés. Da la siguiente orden a los sacerdotes que llevan el arca del pacto: “Cuando lleguen a la orilla del Jordán, deténganse”».

Entonces Josué dijo a los israelitas: «Acérquense y escuchen lo que Dios el Señor tiene que decirles». 10 Y añadió: «Ahora sabrán que el Dios viviente está en medio de ustedes y que de seguro expulsará a los cananeos, los hititas, los heveos, los ferezeos, los gergeseos, los amorreos y los jebuseos. 11 El arca del pacto, que pertenece al Soberano de toda la tierra, cruzará el Jordán al frente de ustedes. 12 Ahora, pues, elijan doce hombres, uno por cada tribu de Israel. 13 Tan pronto como los sacerdotes que llevan el arca del Señor, Soberano de toda la tierra, pongan pie en el Jordán, las aguas dejarán de correr y se detendrán formando un muro».

14 Cuando el pueblo levantó el campamento para cruzar el Jordán, los sacerdotes que llevaban el arca del pacto marcharon al frente de todos. 15 Ahora bien, las aguas del Jordán se desbordan en el tiempo de la cosecha. A pesar de eso, tan pronto como los pies de los sacerdotes que portaban el arca tocaron las aguas, 16 estas dejaron de fluir y formaron un muro a gran distancia, más o menos a la altura del pueblo de Adán, junto a Saretán. A la vez, dejaron de correr las aguas que fluían en el mar del Arabá, es decir, el mar Muerto, y así el pueblo pudo cruzar hasta quedar frente a Jericó. 17 Por su parte, los sacerdotes que portaban el arca del pacto del Señor permanecieron de pie en tierra seca, en medio del Jordán, mientras todo el pueblo de Israel terminaba de cruzar el río por el cauce totalmente seco.

Footnotes

  1. 3:4 Es decir, aprox. 900 m.

Directions for crossing the Jordan

Joshua took down the camp early in the morning. He and all the Israelites marched out of Shittim and came to the Jordan, where they stayed overnight before crossing. At the end of three days the officers went through the middle of the camp. They commanded the people, “As soon as you see the Lord your God’s chest containing the covenant and the levitical priests carrying it, you are to march out from your places and follow it. But let there be some distance between you and it, about three thousand feet. Don’t come near it! You will know the way you should go, even though you’ve never traveled this way before.”

Joshua said to the people, “Make yourselves holy! Tomorrow the Lord will do wonderful things among you.” Then Joshua said to the priests, “Lift up the covenant chest. Go along in front of the people.” So they lifted up the covenant chest and went in front of the people.

The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you great in the opinion of all Israel. Then they will know that I will be with you in the same way that I was with Moses. You are to command the priests who carry the covenant chest, ‘As soon as you come to the bank of the Jordan, stand still in the Jordan.’”

Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come close. Listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 Then Joshua said, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and will completely remove the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites before you. 11 Look! The covenant chest of the ruler of the entire earth is going to cross over in front of you in the Jordan. 12 Now pick twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one per tribe. 13 The soles of the priests’ feet, who are carrying the chest of the Lord, ruler of the whole earth, will come to rest in the water of the Jordan. At that moment, the water of the Jordan will be cut off. The water flowing downstream will stand still in a single heap.”

Marching across the Jordan

14 The people marched out from their tents to cross over the Jordan. The priests carrying the covenant chest were in front of the people. 15 When the priests who were carrying the chest came to the Jordan, their feet touched the edge of the water. The Jordan had overflowed its banks completely, the way it does during the entire harvest season. 16 But at that moment the water of the Jordan coming downstream stood still. It rose up as a single heap very far off, just below Adam, which is the city next to Zarethan. The water going down to the desert sea (that is, the Dead Sea) was cut off completely. The people crossed opposite Jericho. 17 So the priests carrying the Lord’s covenant chest stood firmly on dry land in the middle of the Jordan. Meanwhile, all Israel crossed over on dry land, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan.

3 Joshua commandeth them to depart when the Ark removeth. 7 The Lord promiseth to exalt Joshua before the people. 9 Joshua’s exhortation to the people. 16 The waters part asunder while the people pass. 

Then Joshua rose very early, and they removed from Shittim, and came to [a]Jordan, he, and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they went over.

And after [b]three days, the officers went throughout the host,

And commanded the people, saying, When ye see the Ark of the covenant of the Lord your God and the Priests of the Levites bearing it, ye shall depart from your place, and go after it.

Yet shall there be a space between you and it, about [c]two thousand cubits by measure: ye shall not come near unto it, that ye may know the way, by the which ye shall go: for ye have not gone this way in times past.

(Now Joshua had said unto the people, (A)Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.)

Also Joshua spake unto the Priests, saying, Take up the Ark of the covenant, and go over before the people: so they took up the Ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

¶ Then the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, which shall know, that (B)as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee.

Thou shalt therefore command the Priests that bear the Ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the waters of Jordan, ye shall stand still [d]in Jordan.

¶ Then Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God.

10 And Joshua said, [e]Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will certainly cast out before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

11 Behold, the Ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the world passeth before you into Jordan.

12 Now therefore take from among you [f]twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

13 And as soon as the soles of the feet of the Priests (that bear the Ark of the Lord God the Lord of all the world) shall stay in the waters of Jordan, the waters of Jordan shall be cut off: for the waters that come from above, (C)shall stand still upon an heap.

14 ¶ Then when the people were departed from their tents to go over Jordan, the Priests bearing the (D)Ark of the covenant, went before the people.

15 And as they that bare the Ark, came unto Jordan, and the feet of the Priests that bare the Ark were dipped in the brink of the water, ((E)for Jordan useth to fill all his [g]banks all the time of harvest)

16 Then the waters that came down from above, stayed and rose upon an heap, and departed far from the city of Adam that was beside Zaretan: but the waters that came down toward the Sea of the wilderness, even the salt Sea, failed and were cut off: so the people went right over against Jericho.

17 But the Priests that bare the Ark of the covenant of the Lord, stood dry within Jordan [h]ready prepared, and all the Israelites went over dry, until all the people were clean gone over through Jordan.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 3:1 Which according to the Hebrews was in March, and about 40 days after Moses’ death.
  2. Joshua 3:2 Which time was given for to prepare them victuals, Josh. 1:11.
  3. Joshua 3:4 Or, a mile.
  4. Joshua 3:8 Even in the channel where the stream had run, as verse 17.
  5. Joshua 3:10 By this miracle in dividing the water.
  6. Joshua 3:12 Which should set up twelve stones in remembrance of the benefit.
  7. Joshua 3:15 Because the river was accustomed at this time to be full, the miracle is so much the greater.
  8. Joshua 3:17 Either tarrying till the people were past, or as some read, sure, as though they had been upon the dry land.